September 10, 191S 



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The Lumberman s Round Table 



Extending the Sash Market 



The (locision of leadhig sash and door manufuctui-LTs to co- 

 operate in advertising increased use of storm sash is a logical pro- 

 cedure, particularly at this time, when the demand for sash for 

 new buildings is not as great as it should be. The opportunity to 

 conserve fuel offered by the use of storm sash makes the proposi- 

 tion attractive. 



Storm sash constitutes what one manufacturer recently described 

 as "an overcoat for the house, ' ' and the insulation provided by 

 the air cushion between the storm sash and that inside is the best 

 possible protection against cold weather, insuring the retention of 

 Iieat with much less difficulty than is ordinarily experienced. 

 Living Conditions at Sawmills 



Considerable emphasis has been laid of late on the emigration of 

 negroes from the South to northern industrial centers. Printers' 

 Ink, the advertising magazine, recently devoted considerable space 

 to a description of the changed conditions in the South brought 

 about by this important movement of population, and suggested 

 that one result undoubtedly would be a greater demand for labor- 

 saying devices by manufacturers who have used negro labor. 



As far as the southern mills are concerned, the fact that they 

 have had negroes on their payrolls has not prevented them from 

 adopting whatever machinery would result in an improvement in 

 the quantity and quality of their output. They are concerned, 

 however, with the labor situation, and with the loss of available 

 labor through the hegira just referred to. They are interested in 

 meetiiii; tlic |.r(iblem thus created, and in holding their labor. 



Tlic iKirdwdiid manufacturer who is up against a reduced supply 

 of local lalMir ought to study living conditions as they prevail at 

 his mill town. Can employes, negroes as well as others, get satis- 

 factory liomes? Is food available in the right quantity, of the 

 right kind and at reasonable prices? Looking into the question 

 of proper housing, sanitation, food, etc., and making working for 

 the sawmill represent an attractive job to the colored citizen, will 

 be among the ways to jirevent the departure in numbers of em- 

 ployes of the sawmills, and will help to solve what is liecoming a 

 serious problem in the Southland. 



Getting Export Training 



The young lumbermen who have enlisted in such large number 

 in the forestry regiments and other branches of the military serv- 

 ice, and have been assigned to duty over there, are, without realiz- 

 ing it, absorbing information that is going to come in mighty 

 handy later on. 



A good many export managers of hardwood niaiinl'aitin in-; i-om- 

 panies are no doubt being trained right now, for tin i n Idi mation 

 that is gradually absorbed regarding conditions mi tlir .,iImi side 

 will be of great value when peace-time sales conditions are restored. 

 Knowledge of the French language alone will be an asset worth 

 while. 



One of the unfortunate features of the war has been the destruc- 

 tion wrought in the forests of France, and no doubt other European 

 countries have used up a larger portion of their timber .supply than 

 usual, both on account of the demand and because the supply from 

 abroad has been cut off. That means .that Europe should be a 

 better market than ever before for American hardwood products 

 of all kinds. 



A young man formerly connected with a big hardwood concern 

 wrote home recently from England, where he is stationed at present 

 in the naval air service. He commented with interest on the fact 

 that rural England is "just like it is described in the story books." 

 Somehow, the places that one reads about are never so real as those 

 whiili have .-let u.-illy been seen, and that is why the lads who come 

 back from .-linoad after the war is over will be able to visiwlize 

 tlie great export markets for hardwoods much better than they 



ever could have done witliimt the ex[ierieute wliiili they are getting 

 right at this time. 



Too Much Overhead 



Sometimes manufacturers in other lines smile at the modest, not 

 to say humble way in which many ini|.(jrtant lumber concerns 

 house their offices and carry on the details of their businesses. They 

 seem to think that more "front" and display would be a good 

 thing, forgetting that the real lumberman is more interested in 

 sawing boards than in merely making an impressive appearance. 



Comment along this line is suggested by the recent absorption 

 of a large and apparently successful hardwood manufacturing com 

 pany by an associated concern. The company was doing a good 

 business, it had plenty of accounts on its books, and its manu- 

 facturing departments were well organized and properly managed, 

 but the trouble was that it was carrying too much expense iu the 

 way of overhead. 



The organization was always known to be top-heavy, having too 

 many officers for the size of the business, and employing a number 

 of high-priced luminaries who, it developed, were largely figure- 

 heads, having thinking parts, but not contributing much to the 

 business or prestige of the company. A few big salaries absorb 

 revenue that would pay dividends on a large capitalization, and 

 this seemed to be happening in this instance. 



The absorption, by making it possible without inconvenience to 

 reduce the organization very materially, will undoubtedly mean 

 a more efficient and compact business, while it is hardly likely that 

 very much volume will be lost. It pays to put up a front when all 

 other conditions justify it, but not otherwise — and lumbermen are 

 wise, as a rule, in holding down unnecessary expenses to the 

 minimum. 



Wood for Metal 



One of tlie things that is being done extensively at present is to 

 substitute the use of wood for metal wherever this is practicable. 

 Manufacturers of metal goods are having trouble getting material, 

 in line with the familiar war conditions that affect so many con- 

 cerns, and while in many instances they are able to transfer their 

 activities to a war line, which will enable them to get the raw 

 materials that they need, it is not always possible to get enough 

 war business to take eare of tlieir requirements. 



Furthermore, maiinlaetnrers often see the advantage of con- 

 tinuing to sujiply tlii'ir eivilian trade, inasmuch as they own good- 

 will that it has taken many years to build up, in some cases, and 

 they desire to continue to maintain these trade relations if it is 

 possible to take care of their needs. If they have been making 

 metal goods, they can often substitute wood products to good 

 advantage, since it is not so difficult to get lumber as it is to get 

 metal. It is fair to assume that those who are making this change 

 will continue to turn out wood goods after the war, if the demand 

 for these has been satisfactory and profits have been up to the 

 mark, so that it is worth while to watch developments along this 

 line, as there may be permanent changes in the consuming situation. 



Organize War Savings Clubs 



Thrift on the part of workers is a ^ood thing for the employer as 

 well as the employe, since the workman who is saving his money 

 usually appreciates his job more than the other fellow. 



Many manufacturers have encouraged their employes to form 

 War Savings Clubs, with the members pledged to purchase a given 

 number of stamps each month. The company supplies these, and 

 makes it easy and convenient for the men to purchase. 



This is practical patriotism, and means a big boost for Uncle 

 Sam and the boys over there, but it is also a benefit conferred ujion 

 those who join the clubs, since they save their money in a sys- 

 tematic way, and unquestionably develop habits of thrift that they 

 might never acquire without help of this kind. 



